VPAT and Section 508

What's in a VPAT?

The VPAT is published by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI). For each success criterion, you say whether your product Supports, Partially Supports or Does Not Support it, or whether it's Not Applicable, with remarks explaining why. You also say how you tested.

Buyers use it to compare products and plan for any gaps. A report that claims everything works, with no detail, tends to raise questions rather than answer them.

Section 508

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act covers technology that US federal agencies build or buy. The Revised 508 Standards include WCAG 2.0 Level A and AA for web content and documents, and add rules for software, hardware and support documents. A website that meets WCAG 2.2 AA meets the web part of Section 508.

How Alleviator helps

Paid plans build a draft ACR for your website in the VPAT® 2.5 WCAG layout. Results from your latest scan fill in what a machine can test. The criteria that need a person stay “Not Evaluated” until you record a manual check, so the report never claims more than you've shown.

It covers your website. For the Section 508 or EU editions, or for software and hardware, you'll need to add the extra sections yourself or with an accessibility consultant.

How to check your website

1. Scan every page. Alleviator checks your whole site against WCAG 2.2, at desktop and phone sizes, and lists each problem with the page it's on and a screenshot. One page is free.
2. Fix the biggest problems first. The fix guide puts them in order and explains each in plain words, with steps for your website builder. If someone else built your site, send them a developer link with time estimates, or ask us to fix it.
3. Check what a scan can't. Some criteria need a person, like whether captions are accurate. Your report includes a guided checklist for them.
4. Keep a record. Paid plans build an accessibility statement, a draft conformance report in the VPAT® format buyers ask for, and a dated history of what you've fixed.
5. Keep checking. Websites change. Paid plans rescan every week and email you about new problems.

Sources

• ITI: VPAT®
• Section508.gov: applicable standards
• US Access Board: Revised 508 Standards

Checked in October 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email us and we'll fix it.